The World Series Nobody Saw Coming: The Southwest Showdown
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 24: Jose Herrera #11 and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after beating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game Seven of the Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Who would have predicted this? The Arizona Diamondbacks punched their ticket to the 2023 Word Series with a 4-2 win over the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies in Game 7 of the NLCS. The D-Backs, who were a playoff afterthought will make their second ever trip to the Fall Classic when they face the Texas Rangers beginning Friday.
The unlikely turn of events hits its crescendo in the bottom of the seventh inning when reliever Kevin Ginkel found a way to retire both Trea Turner and Bryce Harper with two men on base preserving that light 4-2 advantage.
The Phillies would never threaten again, failing to get a man on base the rest of the night.
Former Met Paul Sewald locked down his sixth save of the postseason with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to silence Citizen’s Bank Park.
Taking home MVP honors was Ketel Marte. Much deserved after hitting .358 in the postseason with two homers and seven RBI. However this Game 7 victory falls on the shoulders of rookie Corbin Carroll who was unstoppable in the lineup. Carroll went 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Carroll scored the game’s first run on a Fielder’s Choice. Later he drove in the tying run on a single to center in the fifth. His RBI Sac Fly in the top of the seventh, scoring Geraldo Perdomo padded the lead.
CHIP ON THE SHOULDER:
Give a lot of credit to the Diamondbacks. Not only did they fight off three better teams (the Brewers, Dodgers and Phillies) to get to this World Series, but they did so with a chip on their shoulder.
Sirius XM host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo threatened to retire if the D-Backs proved him wrong and won the pennant. That’s all Arizona could talk about on Tuesday night.
NEW YORK IMPACT?
This World Series might not have been possible without the New York Mets. Most know the Amazin’s purged their roster at the trade deadline. Max Scherzer was sent to Texas and utility man Tommy Pham was sent packing to Arizona. Both players, including Jacob deGrom, who left the Mets last off-season to sign with Texas, can rub it in the face of their former team by winning a ring.
Ranking The MLB Final Four Uniforms
After six and half months of baseball grind, we are down to four remaining teams fighting for the World Series Trophy. With the Texas Rangers taking on the (defending champion) Houston Astros, and the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. the Philadelphia Phillies, there’s only one thing left to do. Here, we will rank the uniforms of the remaining MLB teams.
Before we analyze the threads of these ballclubs who are still out hunting in October, let’s set the stage. First, three of the four teams have a shade of red in their colorways (minus the Astros). In addition, three of the four teams have a shade of blue in the bags (minus the Diamondbacks, though they occasionally have a shade of turquoise). If you are wondering about how the Phillies fit in there, they often rock the throwback “baby blues.” In fact, that was the uniform of choice in the series-clinching game against the Atlanta Braves.
Tradition vs. Innovation
The 2023 MLB ALCS and NLCS features an interesting mix of baseball history. The Phillies franchise can be traced back to 1883. They have won two World Series titles, with the most recent being in 2008. Last year, the Phillies lost in the World Series to the Houston Astros. Remaining in the National League, the D-backs first started in the major leagues in 1998. Three years later, they won their only championship. Their current uniform is the most innovative and modern of the bunch, with the fluorescent highlights, and nickname across the chest.
In the American League, we have the battle of Texas. The aforementioned Astros are astonishingly in the ALCS for the seventh year in a row. They have won two World Series titles total; both have been within the past seven years. Their opponent, the Texas Rangers, is the only team of the four that have not won a championship.
Uniform Notes
Each of the four teams has an alternate uniform that they have been throwing into the mix. So, we will have home whites (one with red pinstripes), and away greys. Then, alternates of orange, sedona red, royal blue, and baby blues. So, with first pitch this weekend, let’s rank the uniforms of the four remaining MLB teams of the 2023 season.
Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.
